The Wii U is struggling. It’s a lovely looking console with some great games, but large developers whose names don’t start with “Nin” and end with “Tendo” are hardly queuing up to make software for the system, and there's little publicly visible to change that situation; the download-only scene is, thankfully, much...

Nintendo’s Virtual Console service has been a constant treasure trove of classic gaming for many years now, covering hundreds of titles across some of the greatest systems to ever exist. It’s thrown up more than a few unexpected surprises along the way too – including this Japan-only port of the...

With the release of Shantae (originally a Game Boy Color title) this week we touched base with WayForward's Creative Director and founding member, Matt Bozon, and he kindly agreed to a quick-fire interview before he jetted off to Comic-Con.
This is a series that, despite being just...

Earlier this week we were rather pleased the share the news, based on a couple of sources, that Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse looks set to come to Wii U. It's unclear whether it'll be a straight-up re-release (on the Virtual Console) or a remastered port, but whatever the case it's a SEGA...

The start of a new Nintendo generation is always cause for excitement for many, with the promise of new entries in the company’s greatest franchises often enough to convince many to buy the system on day one. But with Wii U, Nintendo kept very quiet about its big franchises, and when the system arrived we had little idea of...

Among the many announcements in yesterday's Wii U Direct, only one had an immediate impact on console owners, with the Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign launching right after the broadcast. Balloon Fight is now available to download with some Wii U-exclusive features — which we'll get to later — and the release schedule...

We've seen some pretty busy line-ups for the Nintendo Download update in recent times, but it's rather quiet this time around: will it be quality over quantity? Each platform gets one game, and the heady days of discounted downloads are forgotten. Still, let's get to it.
eShop:
VectorRacing (Arc System Works,...

Once again we have news of this week's download delights in Europe, with something on offer for every system you own. Let's get started.
3DS Download Software:
Jonny Kung Fu (UFO Interactive, £5.40/€6) — On paper this sounds full of promise, being an old-school side-scrolling action game with...

This week we have all three Nintendo consoles catered for, including a long awaited platformer on the 3DS Virtual Console, the latest from Renegade Kid and much more. Let's get right to it.
3DS Virtual Console:
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (Game Boy, Nintendo, $3.99) — This has no doubt been on a number...

It may have taken years to get here, but Monster World IV walks away with the coveted Game of the Month award for May 2012.
Monster World IV's release is significant for a number of reasons. It's the first time the game's been officially available in English, having originally released in Japan way back in 1994. We've had import games on...

Europe gets a trio of new titles this week including a couple of but goodies. Here's what's up for you EUers this week. Virtual Console: Mega Man X2 (Super Nintendo, Capcom, 800pts) — Back in the day this made use of Capcom's new "C4" chip for fancy 3D effects and the like. Now you can buy it...

This week brings us a 3DS sequel to an excellent WiiWare title, a free update with new content from WayForward, and some Neo Geo goodness on Wii. Let's get to it. 3DS Download Software: Art of Balance TOUCH! (Shin’en Multimedia, £6.30/€7) — A sequel to a high-quality physics puzzler on...

Believe your eyes: the Nintendo Download for North America is out, several hours ahead of usual. There's two Virtual Console treats and more to get stuck into, so here's what's up this week. Virtual Console: Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Virtual Console Arcade, SEGA, 900pts) — Just like Europe, North America gets a double dose of...

As if any further proof were needed that SEGA is the greatest video game company in the whole world, this week it's bringing no fewer than three games to lucky European fans this week. Elsewhere there's a long awaited piece of 3DS download software and an out-of-nowhere DSiWare game too. To the list! 3DS Virtual...

Before the Virtual Console, emulators provided the only way that people could relive their favourite gaming experiences of years past. Allowing players to download "rom" files and load them onto their personal computers and other platforms, their only real legal application is to allow those...

The Wii was released over four years ago, and alongside it came Virtual Console. Over time, some of the greatest titles of the 80's and 90's have been made available for digital download, but we can't help but feel that there are still some significant titles inexplicably missing from the...

“Many people don’t know what the difference between 50Hz and 60Hz is, but since most modern TV models support 60Hz it’s definitely worth finding out.” This interesting and illuminative statement, plucked readily from any number of Nintendo Wii game manuals, is fascinating in its...

What is stopping us from experiencing the entire history of video games?

Last year Taito issued Space Invaders Get Even on the WiiWare download service as well as multiple versions of the original game on the Japanese, PAL and North American Virtual Consoles. This was in celebration of the 30th annivesary of the release of Space Invaders in arcades worldwide. Similarly Namco is due to celebrate..

Since the birth of the Virtual Console a couple of years back we’ve been granted some truly amazing slices of retro-related brilliance. Zelda, Phantasy Star, Street Fighter, Alex Kidd, Mario, Castlevania, Sonic…all of these franchises (plus many others) have been reborn in a blaze of glory thanks to Nintendo’s download portal.

This year brought two new systems to the Virtual Console with the Commodore 64 computer added to the European Virtual Console and the Sega Master System added to both the European and North American Virtual Console services. We also saw a host of new releases on the systems already available on the service including some very high profile titles.

We've already done quite a few Top 10 lists of games we'd like to see hit the Virtual Console, but now that we're quickly approaching 300 Virtual Console releases, we thought it might be a good time to come up with a list of our favorite Virtual Console releases already available for the service.

I'm going to kick things off with my own personal Top 20 Virtual Console releases list. Now before the..

We've already done quite a few Top 10 lists of games we'd like to see hit the Virtual Console, but now that we're quickly approaching 300 Virtual Console releases, we thought it might be a good time to come up with a list of our favorite Virtual Console releases already available for the service.

I'm going to kick things off with my own personal Top 20 Virtual Console releases list. Now before the..